Hints for the RC4000 simulator:
*******************************

As a first thing to try out after installation, take a game of "geo":
Make an s process: "new myproc size 100000 run" and then call geo.

If you are curious to check the performance of the simulator, try "i regnetest"
in the same process. This test is probably also available on your RC8000/9000;
it can be found on the RC8000 Test System Tape.

While regnetest is running, switch to another virtual console by pressing
Alt-2 (not the 2-key on the num. keypad. the other one!). Create another 
process and run "bdisplay s" to check the time used so far. (Instead of
"bdisplay s", you may use the command "d" which does the same). This should
convince you that the simulator is doing "true multitasking", in case you were
in doubt.

My favourite performance test is running the rcmol compiler on the MIPS/TS
modules. Contrary to regnetest, rcmol compilation does not rely on floating
point calculations; still the process is very CPU-intensive. However, you
will have to install rcmol as well as the MIPS/TS source codes yourself, they
were left out from the distribution to save space.

Before you try this out, or try to install any of your own programs, you
should create (at least) one additional disc on the system. The quick guide
to do this:

- leave the simulator (SysReq; Alt-X).

- In the DRIVES subdirectory, type the command: MKDISC UNIT1

- In the CTRL subdirectory, edit the RC4000.CFG file. Add the line:
   DEFINE RC433X  Devno=16 Dosfile=..\drives\unit1
  ...just after the DEFINE RC433X line already there (near the bottom of the
  file).

- Start the simulator. Make an "all big run" process and give the command:
   kitlabel 16 disc1 catdisc1 slow 36 9 2030
  This will make a disc with a max. size of 2030*9=18270 segments = appr.
  14 MB. If you want another max. size, change the slice size (9) to another
  number.

- Still in the all big... process, use "edit" to edit the file startarea:
  In the top of the file, insert the line:
  * kit 16

- Leave and restart the simulator. You should now have appr. 18000 segments
  available on disc1.

Up to 7 additional discs may be added in this way.

At this point, you will probably want to create one or more files with s
commands to start up processes, and maybe to add some automatic start
of processes to the startarea file.

To install your own programs or other stuff on the system, you will first
need to get the files in question avaiable as DOS files on the PC. Then,
you may copy them from DOS to "RC4000" using the "fromdos" command.
To import a text file, use e.g.:
  tsos=fromdos "c:mipstsos"

 is used for backslash in DOS file paths.

It doesn't matter if the file is in ISO or DOS text format.

fromdos creates the target file with temp. scope. Remember "scope user..." if
you want to keep it.

Non-text files, e.g. binout files with ebbedded catalog entries, are imported
by adding the parameter "conv.bin":
  xx=fromdos conv.bin "c:tempxx"

More info about fromdos/todos in READ.ME.

Finally: If your algol programs behave strange, please read the notes on algol
in READ.ME.

Have fun!

95-09-17 16:16 HJ 
(Cosmethic changes 96-06-10 20:10 HJ )
